Our website uses cookies to improve your user experience. If you continue browsing, we assume that you consent to our use of cookies. More information can be found in our Cookies Policy and Privacy
Policy.

Speaking to Marketing Week, Asda’s senior director of digital advertising Chris Chalmers said the supermarket has increased its investment in content and that it is “laser focused” on social, mobile and video.

“The rise of ad blocking and banner blindness has forced advertisers to rethink how we advertise digitally. The proliferation of content and native advertising is a key component part of that,” he said.

“We are better investing in content that engages with customers where they are in a native browsing environment so that it resonates.”

Chris Chalmers, senior director of digital advertising, Asda

The first “significant” example of its new strategy is its Easter campaign, which features a giant chocolate hen that lays giant chocolate eggs. A TV ad shows the hen laying eggs for customers, while press activity pushes product.

Online, however, Asda has taken a different approach. It created a spoof American news channel – News HD – and a series of 20 second videos that it has seeded on its own website and across new sites using ad tech provider Teads. It has also supported the activity on social media and via email.

“The campaign is based on the customer insight that Easter is about fun and family time so humour is the anchor of our video strategy. We are mindful of not being intrusive because then you are not authentic, so the type of content produced is relevant to the platforms. The content we created was newsworthy in terms of style hence seeding it on news site,” he said.

Chalmers admits that historically Asda would have delivered the TV creative first and then looked at how it works on digital but is now taking a “channel agnostic” approach.

“[The digital team] is now upfront in the creative process. It is testament to our TV team that we have some brilliant content to work with and our aim is to tease, launch and extend the campaign through the digital ecosystem,” he explained.

As a result, Asda is now spending a greater proportion of its marketing budget in digital, although Chalmers would not be drawn on how much. However he did say he believes Asda is “ahead of market trends”.

Chalmers said it is too early to tell if its digital marketing strategy is having an impact on sales, but did say it is having an effect on consumer sentiment towards the brand.

Asda uses listening tools to understand sentiment on social networks and said it has achieved net positive sentiment for the Easter campaign alone of 33% – a record for the brand.

Asda created a spoof Amercian news channel and a series of 20 second videos that it then seeded on news sites

That is backed up by figures from YouGov BrandIndex that show how over the past month Asda has seen an increase in its Buzz score – a measure of the positive and negative things said about a brand – of 6.9 points, moving it up from 26th in a list of the top supermarket brands to ninth. Its Impression and Quality scores are also up.

Chalmers said its video engagement rates are also “over-averaging” by one percentage point, while it has seen “unprecedented” open rates for emails sent out supporting the campaign, with a record 1.3 million email opens, although he wouldn’t give a figure for the open rate.

He said the early signs of success suggest Asda is implementing the right recovery strategy but that the supermarket will still not rest on its laurels.

“Our advertising now has to entertain, inspire or inform. Advertising has got to work much harder than it used to have to be relevant in the channels we are using to advertise digitally,” he concluded.

Recommended

Despite sales falling 5.8% over the crucial festive trading period, Asda’s chief executive Andy Clarke insisted the quality of its marketing was not a contributing factor and called its Christmas campaign a ‘huge success’.

Morrisons’ chief executive David Potts has claimed that its price cuts are helping it steal customers from big four rivals such as Asda, as the supermarket chain plans to rollout a new logo across its estate and future marketing activity.

Tesco’s chief executive Dave Lewis has hailed a “strong Christmas” as its UK sales rose 1.3% on a like-for-like basis in the six weeks ending 9 January. However Lewis blamed its decision to drop the “£5 off £40” marketing promotion for contributing to a sales fall of 1.5% in the third quarter.

You should read this

Despite mobile now accounting for 27% of sales at its Next Directory online business, Next chief executive Simon Wolfson says m-commerce will only have a ‘marginal’ impact in convincing British consumers to up their spend at the fashion retailer.

The $4bn US company that has taken the fitness sector by storm is investing £50m in the UK, including £7m in advertising, as it looks to get its “unique” product and proposition in front of as many people as possible.

Is this the worst Christmas ad season on record? Data reveals that less than half the number of ads compared with last year have scored three stars or more – with John Lewis just scraping into the top 10.

NOT REGISTERED? IT'S FREE, QUICK AND EASY!

Already a member?

Sign in

Register and receive the best content from the only UK title 100% dedicated to serving marketers' needs.

We’ll ask you just a few questions about what you do and where you work. The more we know about our visitors, the better and more relevant content we can provide for them. And, yes, knowing our audience better helps us find commercial partners too. Don't worry, we won't share your information with other parties, unless you give us permission to do so.

THE BEST CONTENT

Our award winning editorial team (PPA Digital Brand of the Year) ask the big questions about the biggest issues on everything from strategy through to execution to help you navigate the fast moving modern marketing landscape.

THE BIGGEST ISSUES

From the opportunities and challenges of emerging technology to the need for greater effectiveness, from the challenge of measurement to building a marketing team fit for the future, we are your guide.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Information, inspiration and advice from the marketing world and beyond that will help you develop as a marketer and as a leader.

Type anything and hit “enter”

Sign in

Not registered yet?

Register and receive the best content from the only UK title 100% dedicated to serving marketers' needs.

We’ll ask you just a few questions about what you do and where you work. The more we know about our visitors, the better and more relevant content we can provide for them. And, yes, knowing our audience better helps us find commercial partners too. Don't worry, we won't share your information with other parties, unless you give us permission to do so.